Rafa needs the opportunity – and it isn’t weeks or months, you have to give people time

Tony Pulis

Pulis believes Benitez can restore stability to Stamford Bridge – and bring back the glory days of Jose Mourinho.

Ex-Liverpool boss Benitez was not a welcome choice when he arrived in west London in November as interim manager.

But Pulis, who goes head to head with Benitez when Chelsea play Stoke at the Britannia tomorrow, knows that longevity works, having been at his club for seven years.

He said: “Rafa needs the opportunity – and it isn’t weeks or months, you have to give people time.

“Chelsea have got some fantastic players. But the instability of the club is partly to blame in lots of respects.

“You’ve got to let people get on with their jobs and do the job in good times and bad times.

“Manchester United have bad runs, Manchester City, but you have to stick with what you believe.

“Hopefully they’ve picked their manager now and will give him the opportunity – and it isn’t weeks or a few months, you have to give him a few years in the job to put everything in place to build a club.

“You can’t do it on a weekly or monthly basis. He’ll be hoping it’s not a short-term thing.

“Stability within a club breeds success – and continued success. I think they had that for a period with Mourinho. Rafa doesn’t need this pressure. It’s pressure the players don’t need and it’s pressure the club don’t need.

“That’s all stimulated by constant change.

“I’m not in charge there, I have no feelings for the club.

“But I know they have a very rich owner who wants to see them win and win.”